The plight of the 33 Chilean miners has helped to put the destination on the radar of far more tourists, according to director of tourism Alvaro Castilla.
The miners’ 69-day underground received press attention from around the world and Castilla said the heroics of the men would benefit the Chilean tourism economy.
The tourist office has launched a new campaign called ‘Chile is good for you’ which is designed to promote the country’s desire for environmentally sustainability and diversity of experiences.
Castilla said he would like to see direct flights from the UK, which he described as one of seven key markets for the South American country.
Meanwhile, Argentina is launching its biggest ever UK campaign called Argentina beats to your rhythm, which will include a series of TV adverts.
And Ecuador is hoping to increase the number of visitors by 50% by 2014 to 1.5 million, combined with a boost in tourism expenditure to $858 from $756 per visit.
Ecuador is also keen to make sure more people know the Galapagos Islands are part of the country after a survey in Germany revealed only 9% of the population are aware.